LEANN PULLED INTO the police department’s parking lot, already feeling like she’d put in a full day. Mondays were never easy. Aaron bemoaned that the weekend wasn’t three days long, and Tim, of course, remembered a homework assignment due this morning.
Fun.
Their father was due to arrive, and Leann wanted nothing more than to stay in bed, lights off, and worry. Instead, she was back to work. Her eyes felt gritty and her pants loose. Was she losing weight? It had been an unpredictable week and was about to become more so. Lucas had called a good twenty minutes ago, wanting her to report for duty, but not sharing much on the phone. She figured it had to do with Jace Blackgoat. Based on the noise in the background, Lucas was dealing with way too many people in the waiting room to explain.
After last night’s adventure in Russell’s backyard—Gary’s kiss, his arms around her, the warmth—she’d crawled into bed at three and when she closed her eyes, it wasn’t sheep she counted, but the minutes it might be before she’d see him again.
She was too old for this. Too busy.
Pushing open the door, she stepped inside, noted a line of people and promptly bumped into Jimmy Weston.
“How’s the chief?” he asked.
“Same,” she answered, wishing she knew more. “How’s your motorcycle?”
“That’s why I’m here. I heard Jace Blackgoat will be brought by. I’m wondering if I can sue him for the damages to my bike.”
“Give us a day or two,” Leann suggested. “We aren’t even sure he was the driver.”
Jimmy looked at the long line of people, at Lucas, who wasn’t smiling, and then back at Leann. “Okay. I can wait.”
He left and she wove her way through the small crowd, fielding questions like “When is the chief coming back?” or “Who’s in charge now?”
“Don’t know,” she answered everyone because they were mostly friends and “No comment” seemed too impersonal.
Lucas waved her toward the back and turned the front desk over to Zack. She’d never seen Lucas so red in the face. “Jace is due any minute. Sorry to have to call you in early.”
She didn’t miss that he was a little flustered, even though he was the oldest cop among them and had the most experience. “Things do seem a bit wild out there.”
Suddenly, Zack called out, “Need a little help here.”
Lucas grumbled, “I’m glad I won’t be acting chief. I don’t have the desire, the speed or the memory.”
“I can do it,” Leann offered. “I was planning to apply—”
“Leann,” Lucas said softly; his words stopping her cold, “you’re our most valued patrol officer with the strongest work ethic I’ve ever seen. I don’t know what we’d do without you.”
“What are you trying to say?” Leann knew Lucas, knew that he was soft-pedaling and trying to be both politically correct and honest. Two concepts that didn’t necessary complement each other.
“This morning, I got a call from the mayor. I didn’t want you to hear this from anyone else. For now, Oscar will be acting chief of police.”
“Until Chief Riley returns?”
Lucas nodded.
“The mayor made the decision?”
Lucas nodded.
Leann took a deep breath. Thoughts tumbled in her brain, trying to come together in coherent reasoning. “If Oscar’s the chief, that’s not a job either of us applied for, so does that mean I still have a chance at lieutenant or...”
“I’m staying on as lieutenant until Tom returns and then I’ll retire and my position will be open.”
“But, if Oscar has been acting as chief, he’ll have something new to add to his qualifications. It will hurt my chances...” Her voice got softer as she spoke. Oh, wow, she sounded like her kids arguing a point and insisting a situation was unfair.
And, this was unfair.
But, what was really unfair was Chief Riley’s getting hit by a truck and winding up in the hospital.
“The mayor made the decision,” Lucas reiterated. “It wasn’t an easy one for him. You are a great cop.”
It was what Lucas didn’t say that Leann worried about. Lucas knew her, knew the challenges she faced as a single mother and how stressed she was because of Ryan’s return.
As if reading her thoughts, Lucas continued, “It’s a good thing Oscar just had a brief vacation because for the next month, he won’t have any time off.”
“I’ve been working every day,” Leann inserted.
He nodded, face somber, before querying, “And, you’re willing to work every day for the next few months?”
Was she? Ryan was due in town. If she worked every day, Tim and Aaron would be at their grandparents’, with Ryan, every day.
No way was she admitting defeat. In truth, if the chief was going to be out for months, they’d have to hire someone, albeit temporarily. But, it took time—time away from her boys.
She’d been trained by Chief Tom Riley, the best, and she knew that right now, her reaction was make-or-break. Lucas had rated her a “great” cop. To keep his high opinion of her, she needed to acknowledge that Oscar had earned the position and that she applauded him.
“I understand.”
He nodded and began. “It’s been a wild couple of hours. I need you to stop by Bianca’s Bed-and-Breakfast. I spoke with Bianca earlier, but maybe you can get across the urgency of contacting Oscar.”
That was easy.
“Then, head out to Russell Blackgoat’s place.” Lucas took an envelope off his desk and withdrew a photo.
“I can’t raise Russell on the phone. Could you please go and collect him? It’s important he be here.”
“Jace looks old,” Leann observed after studying the photo. Much older than Patsy’s brother. She’d even bet her brother, Clark, didn’t look this old.
Odd.
Lucas waved her off and soon Leann was back in her cruiser and heading toward Bianca’s. After that, she’d drive out to Russell’s place.
She wouldn’t stop at Gary’s. No need. He was not part of the equation and right now she didn’t need any distractions of the heart, even if her heart told her something different.
RUSSELL AND AUNT BIANCA were at the dining room table, with Aunt Bianca making a list of all the things she thought Russell should be doing to help Jace.
“Lydia will be here later this afternoon. She says to wait to visit Jace until she can come, too,” Russell supplied. “I hate thinking he might be in trouble.”
“Who hasn’t been in some kind of trouble?” Aunt Bianca pointed at Gary. “You think so much of my nephew. You think he’s never been in trouble?”
Gary frowned. Russell now looked intrigued.
“Well, he’s been in trouble, let me tell you. A lot more than his siblings, too.” Aunt Bianca was really enjoying this. “He got caught skinny-dipping in a neighbor’s pool. Thankfully not everyone had cell phones back then or his picture would be all over Facebook.”
“Our next-door neighbors were supposed to be out of town,” Gary protested halfheartedly. “They told me I could use their pool in exchange for feeding the cat.”
“Not at midnight and not without clothes on.”
“The only reason they called the police,” Gary protested, “was because they didn’t recognize me.”
Aunt Bianca tsked. “Two weeks later, he pulled the fire alarm at his school junior year. Said he didn’t want to take some test.”
Gary wondered if he should set the record straight. He’d pulled the alarm because there was a drug deal going down just outside the PE doors, and he knew that one of his brother’s friends was involved. Later, he’d collared his brother’s friend and Gary had tried to set him straight.
“I thought his mother was going to ground him for life,” Aunt Bianca said.
The hair on Gary’s neck prickled and he turned to look behind him. Leann stood at the kitchen door. Exhaustion smudged the skin under her eyes and stray hairs escaped her ponytail. Something in him welled up, and had she so much as looked at him, he’d have taken her in his arms, held on tight and told her it would be okay.
He’d make it okay. That was his job. Keeping people safe.
She didn’t look at him but said, “Setting off a fire alarm is a Class E felony.”
“I wasn’t charged.”
Leann rolled her eyes.
“How’s the chief?” Bianca quickly asked. “I’ve been listening to the news all morning, but they haven’t said a thing.”
“We got the call an hour ago. The chief’s head injury is now officially a concussion. He’ll be released in a week or so.”
“Good to hear.”
“He won’t return to work for a while.” Leann took a seat, scooting her chair in before he could assist, and shook her head at Aunt Bianca’s offer of food. “Bianca, has Oscar checked in with you at all?”
“No, sweetie, and I’ve called him twice today already. He said before he left that phone service was spotty on the cruise.”
“The police in Seward will meet him the moment he gets off the boat,” Leann said wearily. “If it ever docks.”
“You can always deputize me,” Gary offered, only half kidding.
Leann looked like she wanted to say she wished she could say yes.
“Sarasota Falls isn’t big enough for two Guzman boys to tote a badge,” Aunt Bianca said.
“It would just be temporary.” Even as Gary said the words, he remembered that Oscar’s time in Sarasota Falls was supposed to be temporary. His falling in love with Shelley had turned it into something permanent.
Gary had already admitted to himself that he was half in love with Leann. Working with her would either make or break the bond. Maybe he really should step up and apply. If—and that was a huge word—he could handle anything rooted, especially being a cop.
Being committed to a cop.
“We, ah,” stumbled Leann, “have our schedule for the next two days, but we’re shorthanded, and we really need an acting chief. It’s just that...”
“You’re not acting chief?” Aunt Bianca gently prodded.
“No,” Leann said slowly, in a tone Gary never heard her use before. “Lucas and I will be sharing responsibility until Oscar returns, and then he’ll...”
An inkling of the truth dawned on him. “He’ll what?”
Leann sat up straight and jutted her chin out. “Lucas will put off his retirement until Chief Riley returns as well as handle internal operations. In the meantime, Oscar is acting chief.”
“That’s strange,” Gary protested. “If the position is temporary, just until Chief Riley returns to work, and you’re here and Oscar’s not, why not just give it to you? You’ve been here longer. Who made the decision?”
“The mayor. Lucas told me not even an hour ago.”
Again, Gary’s inclination was to take her in his arms, but he could see it took everything for her to hold herself together. If he took her in his arms, she’d fall apart. He knew it. And she wouldn’t appreciate it.
“Why did the mayor—”
Aunt Bianca held up her hand, stopping him. Impatiently, he slid the bacon from the pan onto a plate, followed it with the sausages and set the food in front of Russell. Aunt Bianca passed the ketchup and asked, “The mayor’s wife still good friends with your mother?”
Leann visibly flinched.
“Maybe it’s time to talk to the mayor himself,” Aunt Bianca suggested. “You have seniority and experience. Put the mayor on the spot. And don’t go in there and say ‘I’m sorry to bother you.’ Go in there and lay out your experience and then ask him to give you the exact reasons Oscar was chosen over you. Write them down. Then, counter all his reasons with your expertise. Let him know you’re not accepting his decision without a fight.”
“Aunt Bianca,” Gary said weakly, “um, Oscar’s your nephew.”
“Oscar’s a grown man. He can take care of himself.”
Gary’s mouth opened and shut. While Aunt Bianca didn’t seem inclined to put family first, Gary hesitated. This was a raise for his brother Oscar, who had a new baby on the way.
Russell shook his fork and said the words Gary should have said. “And, your ability on the shooting range has improved thanks to Gary and me.”
Aunt Bianca gave Gary a smirk.
No one said anything for a few minutes.
Russell put his fork down, waited a beat and said, “You got any news about Jace? Did you bring him here already?”
“You were right, Russell.” Leann almost looked relieved that the subject had changed. “Since Jace refused to talk and had no identification, the cops were able to take his fingerprints. They got the results back this morning.”
“And?” Russell urged.
Leann took a black-and-white photo out of her pocket. She held it up so Russell could see the forty-something man. “It’s not Jace.”
“What?” Bianca chirped.
“I hate to say I told you so.” Russell squinted, studying the photo. “Sure looks like Jace, but it ain’t.”
“The fingerprints belong to Brian Blackgoat. Does that name mean anything to you?”
“Never heard of him. Course, there’s a few Blackgoats in Arizona. Distant cousins. Is that where he’s from?”
“He’s from California. There’s something else, though. His name is Brian Russell Blackgoat.” Leann leaned forward, put her hand on Russell’s arm and asked, “Didn’t your daughter live in California before returning here with Lydia and Jace?”
“Yes,” Russell said slowly. “Maybe Angela found a distant relative. She could have told him about me living here. Wonder why she didn’t mention him.”
Maybe because he was a criminal, Gary thought.
Russell’s face was scrunched up as he took the photo and held it closer.
“Brian Russell Blackgoat should arrive any minute if he’s not already here.”
“Then let’s go,” Russell said with purpose and jumped to his feet.
It was true, Gary mused minutes later as he steered his truck down Main Street. You just never knew. He’d gotten up this morning expecting to help Russell deal with his grandson. Instead, he was following Leann, taxiing Russell to the police station to meet his grandson’s lookalike. Russell sat in the passenger seat, coming up with a half-dozen scenarios. Brian Blackgoat might be a cousin, a nephew, a stranger with Jace’s face or a grandson Russell didn’t know about.
What was funny was Russell’s attitude. He was excited about the chance his family might grow.
“He’s likely a criminal,” Gary cautioned.
“The first time I met you, I thought you were a criminal.” Russell smiled. “And what about Leann? How did she feel about you? She’s changed her mind, eh?”
Leann had changed her mind, but what concerned Gary the most was how he was changing because of her.
THERE WERE AT least a dozen cars in the police station’s lot. “Rush hour,” Leann murmured under her breath as she parked on the street so Gary and Russell could have the last spot. Hurrying, she met them at the entrance and led them inside. For his age, Russell was fast. Or, maybe it was the thought of meeting Brian Russell Blackgoat that had him moving at a snappier pace. Compared with this morning, the station was quiet. Zack was still at the front desk, answering a call. “Lucas is in his office.” Zack muted the phone with his hand. “Head on back.”
After handshakes, Chief Riley updates and a vague reference to the weather, Lucas said, “They’ve not arrived yet.” Turning to Russell, Lucas added, “Never seen anything like it. I’ve looked at the mug shot of Brian Blackgoat, and I remember Jace from when he was in high school. If I didn’t know better, I’d say they were twins.”
Leann wished she’d have paid more attention to Jace when they were in high school.
Out of the blue, Zack appeared in the doorway. “Brian Blackgoat managed to open the door to the police van and jump out. They were near the Turner farm.”
“How long ago?” Leann asked.
“Minutes! Just minutes!”
“Turner farm,” Russell mused. “That’s on the way to my place.”
“And it’s not a stretch to think that Brian’s been there before.”
Leann was already running to the door, with Gary and Russell at her heels. Behind her, she could hear Lucas on the phone telling their colleagues that they would take over. After all, they knew the territory.
Thanks to all her visits to Gary, she really did. What usually took almost two hours was just an hour. She left New Mexico State Highway 4 and slowed on the gravel road leading up to Russell’s place.
Brian would be on foot, so she would arrive before him. She needed to get to Russell’s and put the police cruiser where he wouldn’t see it.
She blew out air, trying to calm herself.
Only twice before had she dealt with escaped prisoners. Both times, she’d been a nervous wreck. This time was no different. She drove past Russell’s, parked in a heavily wooded side area and then quickly and quietly made her way to the cabin. She retrieved his spare key from under the front step and, gun drawn, entered the living room.
Silence greeted her. The air felt heavy, and Leann silently slipped from room to room, opening closets and looking under beds.
Given she was driving, and he was likely on foot, she’d figured she’d beaten him there.
She settled for the bedroom closest to the front of the house. Leaning against the wall, she had a side view of the driveway. She didn’t know whether she wanted Brian to arrive first or Gary and Russell.
The best-case scenario was for her to get ahold of Brian, thereby stabilizing the situation before Gary and Russell got there.
The kitchen clock, a cat with a moving-tail pendulum, she recalled, loudly ticked off the seconds. The creaks and moans of the old cabin reminded her how alone she was.
She hated waiting.
A distant whir became louder. She affirmed her grip on her gun and waited. A quad pulled into the driveway. Gary stopped, helped Russell off, and then concealed the quad in a group of trees.
She let out the breath she was holding and went into the living room and opened the door. “Maybe you should wait—”
“My home,” Russell said simply.
Gary jogged up and closed the door behind him. “Russell, all your firearms locked up?”
Good question. Leann wished she’d have asked it.
“They are.”
Then, Gary surprised her. “Your call,” he said. “Where would you like us?”
“Back in Sarasota Falls waiting.”
He shook his head. “Not going to happen.”
“I was in the front bedroom, looking out the window.”
“I’ll take the back bedroom.”
“I’ll turn the television on in the living room and act like it’s a regular day,” Russell volunteered.
“I don’t want you in danger,” Leann started.
“I won’t be,” Russell said calmly. “I have both of you.”
Leann started to argue, but Russell cocked his head. “Birds are stirring up a fuss. Something’s out there. You really want to argue?”
She shot Gary a stern look. “Please stay in the back bedroom until I give you a call. I’ve got this.”
He reached out a hand, moved a lose strand of hair away from her eyes and said, “I know you’ve got this. I’m just here as backup.”
“I won’t need backup.”
The television was switched on, but Leann couldn’t make out the show. Her whole body was on alert. Gary’s fingers still caressed her forehead, his touch soft and kind. He cupped her chin. “You might not need backup, but I will always have your back.”
Always?
What did that mean?
Before Leann had time to reflect, she heard someone run up the back steps and push hard on the door.